Court tells cops not to handcuff Karbi Anglong lynching accused

GUWAHATI: A Nagaon court has asked the police not to handcuff the accused persons in the Karbi Anglong lynching case while being taken to and from the court. The accused had earlier objected to being handcuffed by police.
At least 48 people, including a minor, are facing trial on charges of murdering Abhijeet Nath and Nilotpal Das on June 8 last year. The two Guwahati youths were lynched by a mob in Panjuri village in Karbi Anglong district on suspicion of being child-lifters. At present, 47 accused are lodged in Nagaon Central Jail.

The accused, while complaining of handcuffing them, argued that it is ‘illegal’ as it violates the human rights and a previous order from the apex court. Advocate Ziaur Kamar, the special public prosecutor in the case, said, “The court has allowed the accused side’s prayer. We had submitted that there is no blanket ban upon handcuffing by the Supreme Court.” The next date of hearing in the case has been fixed on February 2.

Though the family members of the two youths had demanded a fast-track court trial in the case for speedy justice, it may take some time. Sources said since the case might be needed to be shifted to Guwahati for day-to-day hearing; it may take a little time for the proceedings. The statements of 70 witnesses have been recorded so far out of which 16 are eyewitnesses.

Earlier, the Assam Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) had named one Alfajoj as the main accused for orchestrating the entire mob lynching episode. Alfajoj had allegedly set the villagers upon Nilotpal and Abhijeet describing them as child-lifters. Both the victims had gone to visit Kangthilangso waterfalls, a picnic spot, when locals mistook them to be child-lifters and beat them to death.

The high court is monitoring the progress of the case after registering a suo motu public interest litigation.